How much does it cost for plans?

The immediate answer is, "It Depends." The size of the project, the character of the project and the extent of design time required all define the cost to develop construction plans for your project. However, to have an initial one hour consultation at your project site cost you nothing. From this initial consultation a formal proposal Agreement will be presented. Be sure to read "THE DESIGN AND DRAWING PROCESS."

Minimum Fee

No matter what the size of your project there is a typical amount of time invested to review the requirements of the project, to research the property and local building or planning requirements, and for on-site measuring. Because of this I have a minimum fee of $2500.

Fee based upon percentage

Average construction costs will vary depending on the character of your project and the location your project. Architects typically charge from 6% to 10% of the construction cost of your project. So if the criteria of your project was such that its estimated cost was $400,000 to build then the Architect's fee could be as much as $40,000. As a Building Designer my fees are approximately half between 3% to 5%.

Why the fee difference? An architect has the formal education and registered state license. Also, the type of projects that Architects accept are typically at a larger scale of design and planning that requires a broader level of expertise.

Hourly

Few projects are charged at an hourly rate but on occasion it may, as when a client wants more than the one hour free consultation time, or a request made for researching the property a client is considering to purchase. My hourly rate is at $65 per hour in these and other cases.